Wakeless torpedo



March 18, 1952 R. H. GANFIELD WAKELESS TORPEDO 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 14, 1936 l I/vvE/vToR Rober H. Canfield I A TTORNE Y March 18, 1952 R. H. CANFIELD WAKELESS TORPEDO Filed Sept. 14, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l I l `9 l l V) I m o l i m fr) m /NvE/VTOR Robert H. Canfzeld Md, M

ATTORNEY March 18, 1952 R. H. cANFlELD WAKELESS TORPEDO 55 shee's-sneet s Filed Sept. 14, 1936 /NVENTOR v Rober-l H. Canfleld ATOR/VEY W Patented Mar. 18, 1952 UNTED :STATES PATENT GFFICE WAKELEss ToRPEDo Robert H. cancela, washington., D. o.

Application September 14, 1936,'Seral No. 100,684

cl. V11a- 201) (Granted under ythe act of March l3, 1883J .as

8 Claims.

amended A -pril 30, 1928.; 370 '0. G. IT57) will prevent the formation of a Wake of bubbles that Will betray the course and position of the torpedo -to an enemy;

'To modify the fuel containers and lubricating mechanism of the torpedo to prevent contact of substantial-ly pure oxygen with oil;

To store the fuel, water and a gaseous supporter of' combustion under the 'same pressure While maintaining the fuel and the supporterl of vcombustion out of contact with each other;

'To lubricate the moving parts of the torpedo mechanism with a material other than oil for fa brief interval at `the beginning of the torpedo run while free oxygenmay be present in the after body of the torpedo.

In the drawings:

-F-ig. 1 is a side elevation view of a torpedo indicating the several divisions thereof;

Fig. 2 isa cross section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the midsection and parts of the flask and afterbody;

Fig. 4 shows a reciprocating engine arrangement that may be used instead of a turbine;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary .longitudinal section ofthe after body and the midsection 'showing the connections between portions of the mechanism directly concerned with the present invention;A

Fig. 6 is 'a view similar to Fig. '5 wherein certain mechanical arrangements are modified.

In torpedoes as heretofore known, the kpropelling agent is composed of the product of the combustion of va fuel with air, to which is added steam in a predetermined proportion. These gases at high temperature and pressure were used to drive a turbine or other engine which was connected to a well known arrangement of shafts and screw propellers. 'The expansive gasesnsved lin the prime mover are, after use, discharged 'from the torpedo into 'the water and because :they previously contained a large portion of the nonabsorbable gas, nitrogen, they came to 'the -surface as bubbles and gave rise to the `surface disturbances known as the wake. This wake af-i forded a means of detecting Athe presence and course of the torpedo 'and an enemy ship, which,

2 warned thereby, .could maneuver in such .a wayfas to avoid the torpedo.

I have found that when a -fuel composed of compounds of hydrogen and carbon, or of compounds of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen, .is burned .in the ,presence .of nearly pure oxygen the products of combustion are completely absorbable in water and therefore do not give .rise to bubbles when discharged into the water,

When .substantially pureI oxygen is used 'to support combustion in the place of compressed air, certain changes indesign are necessary because ofthe .fact that oxygen in contact with organic materials, .and particularly in contact with oil, produces a Vmixture which` is very easily ignited and may, under certain conditions, be explosive. For thisreasonjitis necessary,` in the oxygen -torpedo, tov prevent contact between compressed oxygen and organic substances, particularly oil.

vThe naval torpedo comprises a substantially cylindrical shell divided by transverse bulkheads into four sections called respectively, the warhead, the iiask, the midsection and the after body. The head in naval torpedoes is filled with explosives andthe means for exploding the same. The flask ordinarily contains chambers for the storage of lubricating oil, fuel, Water and com-- pressed air, Which are connected together to subject the Water, fuel and oil to the pressure of the air to supply the force necessary for feeding, these substances to the propulsive mechanism.,

In Fig. l, the War-head is designated `by lthe numeral "l, the fI-las'k by '8, the midsection by 9 and the after 'body by Hl.y As shown in Fig. 2, the-space. l l in flask .8 .is occupied by lsubstantially pure oxygen Aunder the Arequisite pressure, the water being shown at l2. Since, for the reasons .above given, it dangerous to permit `contact 'of oxygen with -organic substances, the f-.uel 4is contained` a collapsible .bag or container 13. which :is preferably of rubber or rsuitable rubberized fabric. This permits having the oxygen, -the lwater and the fuel under the same pressure but positively separates the oxygen from Ifthe .-fuel. The 'fuell container `I is prevented from moving around in theask :by .straps lf3 attached to the kcontainer and .passed around bars 15 that are ysecured to the flask. increase .and decrease in the cross-:sectional 'area ,of the container 1,3 is permitted but longitudinal shifting of the container is prevented by loops i6 secured vto the container through which loops are passed `the arcuate bars 55 fri `=fixed to the; fiask. Owing 4to vthe inequalities whereby the fuel will be discharged regardlessof collapsing of the container.

Oxygen is carried by pipe I9 to a suitable arrangement of start-and-stop valves and reducing valves, indicated by 20, and thence to the pot or combustion chamber 2I Where it is mixed. with fuel passed through pipe 22 and water carried by pipe 23, the proportions of fuel and water being controlled by valves 24 and 25 ref spectively. Combustion of vthe fuel is supported by the oxygen, and the water introduced into the combustion chamber is converted to steam which reduces the temperature and modies the vc haractertistics of the products of combustion so they are more suited for use as the working substance in the prime mover, which is shown in Figs. 3, and 6 as being a turbine arrangement 26 to which the gases are led from the combustion chamber 2I through pipe 21 and nozzle 28. Turbine wheel 29 is connected to shaft 36 and drives one of the propellers of the torpedo while turbine wheel 3l drives the other propeller through shaft 32.

An alternative mechanism that may be ernployed instead of the turbine is thetwo-cylinder reciprocating engine 33 shown in Fig. 4. The piston rod 34 of one cylinder is connected through bevelled gears 35 and 36 and shaft 31 to one of the propellers while the other piston rod 38 drives the other propeller through gears 39 and 40 and shaft 4I. f

The depth control engine 42 and gyroscopic steering mechanism 43 may be operated by oxygen under high pressure taken from the valves 20 through pipes 44, 45 and 46 until the products of combustion from chamber 2| are sufficient in quantity to operate these devices after which gases and steam are taken from pipe 21 through the pipe 41 whence the expansive gases pass into the pipes 45 and 46 and displace the oxygen.

To avoid the danger of lubricating the turbine and other moving parts with oil while free oxygen mayl be present, I have provided a lubricating system -now to be described.

In the tank 48 is a stratified body of anunctuous aqueous liquid such as a solution of soap and water'or a suspension of graphite in water designated by numeral 49 underlying a layer 'of oil 56 with whichV it is immisicible. The outlet pipe 5I is connected to tank 48 at the lowestpart of the tank and therefore when plunger pump 52, driven from the turbine by gearing not shown, begins to withdraw lubricant from the tank 48 the aqueous liquid is first supplied to the mechanism and is in such quantity as to provide lubrication during the interval that there is any likelihood of pure oxygenbeing present in the mechanism. However, .as the run is continued the oil reaches pipe 5I and is the lubricating agent thereafter. It is to be noted that in torpedoes usingcompressed air instead of oxygen it is perfectlyv safe to lubricate with oil, but owing to ther use ofV oxygen to prevent the formation of a wake, the precautions as to lubrication herein .described must be' taken for an interval at the beginning of the torpedo run.

Fig. 6 shows a modiiication of the devices above described whereby a non-combustible gas, such as carbon dioxide in liquid form, indicated at 53, under high pressure in a tank 54 may be utilized to advantage. This gas may be permitted to expand to apply pressure through pipe 55 to the lubricant in tank 50 and may be carried by pipes 56 and 51 to operate the gyroscopic steering mechanism and the depth engine respectively. Tank 54 may also be connected by pipe 58 to the reducing valve 20 so that when starting lever 59, connected to the starting valve by a pipe y6I), is tripped the gas under pressure from tank 54 will be applied to the turbine 26 to set the turbine in operation until the gases from the combustion chamber sufce for that purpose, the duration of passage of the gas to the turbine being automatically controllable by a Valve 6 I 'Ihe invention described herein may be manufacturedand used by or for the Government of vthe United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

l. In a thermal power system using substantially pure oxygen as a supporter of combustion, a flask to contain water and oxygen under pressure, a collapsible container for fluid fuel in said flask whereby said fuel is held under the same pressure as are said oxygen and water, a combustion device to burn said fuel in the presence of oxygen and Water, means to supply oxygen, fuel and water to said device in suitable proportions, a prime mover connected to said device to receive products of combustion therefrom and to be driven by said products, and meansV connected to lubricate said prime mover with an unctuous aqueous liquid that is non-reactive with oxygen for an interval at the beginning of operation of said prime mover and thereafter to lubricate said prime mover with oil, said lubricating means including a container having in it a volume of said liquid and a supernatant volume of oil.

2. In a torpedo, a flask to contain a gaseous supporter of combustion and water under pressure, a collapsible container for fluid fuel in said flask, and means xedly connecting a portion of said container to said flask and means slidably connecting another portion of said container to said flask to prevent said container from shifting its position in said flask.

3. In a torpedo, a flask to contain a gaseous supporter of combustion and water under pressure, a collapsible container for uid fuel in said ask, means to prevent said container from shifting its position in said flask, and a perforated tube in said container extending longitudinally of vsaid container adjacent the lower wall thereof.

4. In a torpedo, a flask to contain, under pressure, a supporter of combustion and water, a collapsible container for fuel in said flask, members xed to the wall of said flask to lie adjacent said container longitudinally thereof, means connecting said container to said member to prevent longitudinal shifting of said container, arcuate members xed to the wall of said flask and extending transversely of said container, and loop elements fixed to said container andslidable on said arcuate members.

5. In a torpedo, a flask to contain, under pressure, a supporter of combustion and Water, a collapsible container for fuel in said ask, members xed to the wall of said flask to lie adjacent said container longitudinally thereof, means connecting said container to said member to prevent longitudinal shifting of said container, arcuate members xed to the wall of said flask and extending transversely of said container, loop elements fixed to said container and slidable on said arcuate members, and a radially rigid perforated tube in said container lying longitudinally thereof adjacent the lower Wall thereof.

6. A method of lubricating the moving parts of mechanism that initially may be, for an interval, in the presence of substantially pure oxygen under pressure, comprising the steps of providing a stratified body of an unctuous aqueous liquid and oil, wherein the quantity of said liquid is proportioned to suice for the lubrication of said parts during -said interval, beginning the lubrication with said liquid and immediately continuing the lubrication With said oil after all the liquid has been used.

7. A method of lubricating the moving parts of mechanism that initially may be, for an interval, in the presence of substantially pure oxygen under pressure, comprising the steps of providing a stratified body of oil and a solution of soap and Water, wherein the quantity of said solution is proportioned to suice for the lubrication of said parts during said interval, beginning the lubrication with said solution and immediately continuing the lubrication with said oil after all of said solution has been used.

8. A method of lubricating the moving parts of mechanism that initially may be, for an interval, in the presence of substantially pure oxygen under pressure, comprising the steps of providing a stratied body of oil and of graphite suspended in Water, wherein the quantity of said graphite and water is proportioned to suiiice for the lubrication of said parts during said interval, beginning the lubrication with said suspension of graphite in Water and immediately continuing the lubrication with said oil after all of said graphite and water has been used.

ROBERT H. CANFIELD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 265,423 Kellogg Oct. 3, 1882 839,162 Leavitt Dec. 25, 1906 1,005,647 Jones Oct. 10, 1911 1,181,548 Shonnard May 2, 1916 1,369,169 Dieter Feb. 22, 1921 1,445,936 Dieter Feb. 20, 1923 1,554,732 Jones Sept. 22, 1935 1,695,076 Zohe Dec. 11, 1928 1,939,611 Purvis Dec. 12, 1933 1,944,005 Delmar Jan, 16, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 285,312 Great Britain Feb. 16, 1928 

1. IN A THERMAL POWER SYSTEM USING SUBSTANTIALLY PURE OXYGEN AS A SUPPORTER OF COMBUSTION, A FLASK TO CONTAIN WATER AND OXYGEN UNDER PRESSURE, A COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER FOR FLUID FUEL IN SAID FLASK WHEREBY SAID FUEL IS HELD UNDER THE SAME PRESSURE AS ARE SAID OXYGEN AND WATER, A COMBUSTION DEVICE TO BURN SAID FUEL IN THE PRESENCE OF OXYGEN AND WATER, MEANS TO SUPPLY OXYGEN, FUEL AND WATER TO SAID DEVICE IN SUITABLE PROPORTIONS, A PRIME MOVER CONNECTED TO SAID DEVICE TO RECEIVE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION THEREFROM AND TO BE DRIVEN BY SAID PRODUCTS, AND MEANS CONNECTED TO LUBRICATE SAID PRIME MOVER WITH AN UNCTUOUS AQUEOUS LIQUID THAT IS NON-REACTIVE WITH OXYGEN FOR AN INTERVAL AT THE BEGINNING OF OPERATION OF SAID PRIME MOVER AND THEREAFTER TO LUBRICATE SAID PRIME MOVER WITH OIL, SAID LUBRICATING MEANS INCLUDING A CONTAINER HAVING IN IT A VOLUME OF SAID LIQUID AND A SUPERNATANT VOLUME OF OIL. 